Thank you Ann for clarifying that your husband, Mitt, is indeed a liar

HELEN:

Margaret, tell Howard he is, in fact, correct. I have never met Mitt Romney. I have no idea what is in his heart. I am just a fat, old broad who speaks too much and probably should keep some of her opinions to herself. When Mitt says: I respect and will protect a woman’s right to choose… Roe v. Wade has gone too far… I am pro-choice… I am pro-life… I never really called myself pro-choice…When I am asked if I am pro-choice or pro-life, I say I refuse to accept either label… I assume he is a liar. But I actually don’t know for sure he is a liar. He could just be a dumb ass who is confused. Maybe I should just call him honesty-challenged. At least that way, one of his robotic sons won’t haul off and hit me… or shave my head like his father does to those who disagree with him.

I’ve read some of the comments here. I get it. I drank the Kool-Aid so why listen to me? I am just a dumb liberal who doesn’t watch Fox News and therefore hasn’t a clue. You shouldn’t listen to me.

Instead you should listen to someone who really does know what is in Mitt’s heart. Let me introduce you to the woman who has been washing his underwear for 43 years. Well I am assuming that of course. She could have outsourced the laundry duties. Ladies and gentlemen, I give you Ann Davies Romney:

“Mitt has always been a pro-life person, he governed, when he ran, uhmm, as pro-choice…”

That would be an exact quote. It gets a little complicated after that because Ann finds it hard to make that shit sound truthful, but basically she said that he was pro-life while he campaigned as pro-choice . Then he got elected. Once elected, Mitt realized that he couldn’t actually govern as pro-choice because, in fact, he was pro-life. So then, and only then, he let everyone know via an editorial in the newspaper that, in fact, he was exactly the opposite of what he campaigned. He was Pro-No Choice. Of course, now he is back to needing women to vote for him so he is willing to be pro-choice-ish again. It’s confuing, I know. Ann has always had a problem separating her whites from her colors.

Let me see if I can wash Mitt’s underwear better than Ann. Mitt misled the voters. He campaigned one way, knowing he was exactly the other way. Unlike Tagg, Ann has no problem calling Mitt a liar… I’m sorry… She has no problem that her husband is a dumb ass… Sorry again… I meant to say that she has no issue with her husband being less than honest. Settle down there Tagg.

Ann may not have a problem with her say anything husband, but I do. I have a problem that the man running for the Republican candidate for President is willing to lie to 100% of the women in America. After all, it’s one thing for him to not care about 47% of the population, but we are now talking about 50.4%. He’s running out of people to be honest with.

I have a problem that he has no issue with misleading voters. I am proud to be one of the 47% (give or take 3.4%) who will never be on the Romney’s Christmas card list. Yes, I checked… just in case you are not familiar with the religion, Mormons do celebrate Christmas. Other than the whole getting your own planet when you die stuff, they actually aren’t as unusual as many want to make them out to be. For instance, Mormons believe in the Ten Commandments too… but clearly the Romney’s are a little lax on that Ninth one.

I am no longer afraid of Tagg Romney despite my lack of Secret Service protection. Your dad is a dumb ass liar. Bring it on, son. I mean it. Really.

MARGARET:

I relayed the message to Howard and he says that Ann Romney and those women on The View are a perfect example of why women shouldn’t be in politics. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to go remind Howard that he doesn’t drive anymore and therefore will have a problem getting to the polls in a couple of weeks. We women have voter suppression methods of our own. And don’t worry about that Tag, dear. I hear the Romney boys just play war. In the real world they stand on the sidelines and send the 47% to do the heavy lifting.

This design is spectacular! You obviously know how to keep a reader entertained.
Between your wit and your videos, I was almost moved to start my
own blog (well, almost…HaHa!) Fantastic job.
I really loved what you had to say, and more than that,
how you presented it. Too cool!

What I love about blogs is which they spark an concept in my brain. When that occurs, I feel as I need to comment with the hope it may be interesting to some individuals. Because you will find plenty of blogs and forums with numerous points of view, they question your comprehension. It is at these moments when you have important insignt other individuals might not have had, together using the blogger him/herself. I find myself coming back again to to your writings only simply because youve a number of very good insights and also you have been at this a very long time, that is really inspiring and tells me you understand your stuff. Keep triggering imagination in other people!

Mitt Romney is a good man, period. As thuogh as the 2008 election was for Huckabee and Mitt I truly think it is a testimony to Mitts character how they get along now. Mitt was one if the first guests on his show at the beginning of the campaign season and they joked about how ironic they could be sitting across from each other as friends now. Same thing with John McCain who is now advocating on Romneys behalf. I think the tide is turning and Mitt just might pull an upset in the South tomorrow!

If EVERY fertilized egg is Gods will and a blessing, then every fertilized egg that miscarried is also Gods will. Since doctors claim that up to 50% of all fertilized eggs are miscarried then God is the biggest abortionist in the world.

These politicians like Mourdock and Akin are, in reality, regilious extremists who are infiltrating out government.
Terry, my condolences on the on the of your babies. I had a very early pregnancy loss and my three live births all wanted to come much too early and medication was used to prevent that.
Now all these assholes speaking for gods miracle of conception MUST also speak of the nearly 50% of zygotes who are never born. These lumps of life are also gods will, making god the biggest abortionist in the world.

What really struck me about Mourdock’s comments was that he went on to say that children are a gift from God. That’s pretty insensitive to anyone like me who had two premature baby boys die a day after each was born. I already had one daughter and subsequently with the help of much better medical facilities and doctors, I was able to have another son and another daughter. I can’t believe that God was deciding I wasn’t worthy of the gift of those earlier babies. That’s not the God I believe in. I’m also really tired of people bringing their religious views into this election whether it’s to judge some of us or to try to legislate their stand on certain issues that suit their religious beliefs. – Terry

This blog is a hoot & so are the commentaries.
I was thinking about stiff mitt and why he has trouble bending over and Annie hanging onto him; This is what I think: Mitt has trouble, not with his back, but I think there is something sticking UP his butt. His morman tail, perhaps?

Hi delurk, I have to work so I am behind, but I reserve the right to mock hypocrites of any stripe. I have even been known to mock myself after saying something snide or behaving in a way that “just ain’t fittin” so to speak. I don’t think anyone should be mocked solely for their religion, but if you profess to believe something and then you go do exactly the opposite, or do backflips to justify your actions, or demonstrably think it’s ok for you but NOT by God for everyone else? You leave yourself open to whatever potshots anyone wants to take, and I will applaud, too – because actions speak so much more loudly than words, and I hate to see others in group ridiculed as well for the whole guilt by association thing. Were Christians in general being mocked? I didn’t get it, I thought it was pretty well directed at hypocrites, myself! You know, you plebes do as I say not as I do types? If you think they should not be open to ridicule you are FAR, FAR kinder than I am!

The divorce papers? That’s it? That isn’t even a secret! How could a not-secret-divorce-that-didn’t-happen be more important to Trump than candidates who have left their wives for their mistresses multiple times, sometimes with the wife seriously ill or pregnant? Oh. Dumb question. It’s OK if you’re white, Republican, or Donald Trump.

Let’s see how Mittens handles this one! Richard Mourdock, the Republican candidate for Senate in Indiana, has just endorsed rape, rapists and deemed pregnancy resulting from rape to be intended by God. That might work if the God you pray to is Mars! Since Mittens really doesn’t have his own platform, his party platform and himself are stuck with this guy and his psychotic ramblings. OK, Mitt! This is in your court now. How fast do you jump on this and try to throttle it?

What a sensible lady you are Auntie Jean! My husband (NOT an adherent!) says it’s just a pride thing: most people are really quite convinced that the world cannot possibly continue on without their illustrious presence! I have the sneaking suspicion that my death will be about as interesting to the world as the rest of my life has been – that is to say, not at all! We used to laugh about my son, who seemed to think that this planet came into being 36-48 hours before he arrived on it, and was most surprised by the idea that people he KNEW had a history; I guess the rest of history was like some nice movie to him. This is like those other through the wrong end of the telescope, and whereas my John has acquired some sense of proportion regarding his existence, I’m afraid these others never will.

The doomsday prophets have been with us since forever. They seem to attract the predisposed “Chicken Little – the sky is falling!!!!!” mindsets. I think this applies to both religious and/or political persuasions.

This is a “true” account of the Great Disappointment of a well known religious sect I prefer not to name. As the morning dawned on October 23, 1844, many followers were bewildered because the SECOND scheduled Second Coming, as predicted by their leader had fizzled. Many of the faithful had, in preparation for the FIRST Judgment Day on June 7, 1843, settled their earthly accounts, said good-bye to friends, sold or given away their possessions, left fields unworked, and listened eagerly for the sound of Gabriel’s trumpet.

According to M. Schele de Vere’s “Americanisms: The English of the New World” (1872), “The highways and byways [were] thronged with anxious crowds of men and women, while the trees in the orchards and the roofs of houses were filled with more of the impatient [adherents] hoping to be nearer to their new home in heaven”.

A few years later, Mark Twain chronicled this non-event in his “Innocents Abroad”, saying, “A multitude of people in America put on their ascension robes…..and made ready to fly up into heaven.”

So, The Donald will be revealing divorce papers that Michelle Obama filed 12 years ago tomorrow. BFD. I sure would like to trace the path of those documents back to their source . . . I imagine they came from a level very close to The MittWit and The Donald was appointed as the waterboy/messenger.

The trade-off is probably a commitment from The MittWit that he will sign on as a contestant on next season’s “Celebrity Apprentice” after he loses the election. That will be “huge . . . H-U-U-U-U-G-E!”

Hey, Donald. The circus called. They want their ring-leader back! Don’t forget to wear your red coat and tophat when you report back to work, skid-mark.

Ann Coulter seems to me to be a world-class troll! (Who gets paid more than most of them, I’d bet.) I’ll bet a whole bunch of those doughy white guys just salivate (and whatever else) every time they see a long-haired blonde in a low-cut dress, spouting their stuff, as it were.

Sidney, thanks for planting that image in my mind of Robme as a big ass. I’m thinking of the human anatomy, not the gentle beast of burden from the Bible. I’ve also at times pictured him and Lyin’ Ryan with both of their feet in their mouths and their respective heads up their asses. Which would make them kind of like those toys my kids used to play with – Weebles – they wobble but they don’t fall down! I’ll be glad when this election is over as long as Obama wins! Otherwise I’ll be having a pity party and inviting all of you to join me.

I am living in San Antonio now JC. But I lived in Dallas for a decade or so (Michigan in between) too. SA is much more blue than Dallas Ill tell ya that! LOL I do read JJ, she is a hoot! another one of our state’s finest. ;-)

Please do consider Ohio.. MY family is from Pittsburgh so I can make the trip a 2for. (Would be g8 if somehow we could meet.) The campaign was saying they need people in the burbs of Columbus, so I might just make a trip down there too, but I will go where they tell me… LOL

What part of the Lone Star Lori? I live in Robertson Co; still plenty D but reddening as we collect retirees to the country from more populous suburban places. (Great soil if you are a gardener, easy to dig, drainage awesome!) maybe I can help Ohio too! Visit Juanita Jean much?

Ann holding on Mitt also caught my eye. I thought it was just another odd Romney family trait, like the way Romney keeps his arms at his sides when talking, the stupid embarrising look on his face, the little baby steps he takes, the bizarre shit that comes out of his mouth when he pretends to be a regular person. He always seems uncomfortable in his own skin as does the rest of his family. They are billionaires, which of course makes them more important then everyone who is not. They are entitled by the shear amount of their money to run this country. They have their eye in the whitehouse because there is nothing left for them to buy and what a wonderful dynasty for their sons. I really doubt that he has anything wrong with his back, the problem is lower down his body….he is a big ass.

Oh and Delurker, I too noticed Ann clutching Mittens when he was leaning over to shake hands. It looked to me like she was worried he would fall. I have always just assumed he has back troubles by the way he walks.. Perhaps he has a balance problem as well? I dunno.. was odd though.

I think we know what Romney will be like as president. He will be the fully controlled hand that Grover Norquist was talking about when he said,

“We just need a president who can sign the legislation that the Republican House and Senate pass. We don’t need someone to think. We need someone with enough digits on one hand to hold a pen.”

Both Romney and Ryan have shown over and over again that they are incapable of independent thought, only capable of delivering the talking point du jour in response to the latest polls and the directions of their handlers.

Hi friends! It warms my soul to see this site buzzing again. I had to chuckle when I saw G8dog passed….. again… good to c you resurrected …again G8! LOL LOL

OK now the reason I’m here. If you think this election is a MUST win for Progessive’s (which i know all of you do) and you are living in an uncontested state AND are looking for a place to put your energy PLEASE consider giving your time to Ohio. (especially the Thursday – Election day)

Simply go to barackobama.com, put in Ohio (zipcodes) and follow the links that will put you in touch with the people who know how to utilize your talents.

I have been chatting with my fellow Obama supporters asking them how best I can help the campaign on election day (since I am now living in Texas.) COME TO OHIO they said! Their wish is my command. ;-) I hope to see you there too!

If you can’t go to Ohio… make calls! Can’t make calls, donate! We must leave it all on the field as they say.

PS… Cynthia, I saw in my quick glance at the thread, that people were sending their good wishes your way. I missed the reason for the love… but whatever it is/was, I hope it gets better real soon.. xoxoxooxxo your way..

Isn’t it ironic that the Tea Party is helping the Democrats? All they have accomplished is to splinter the Republican party. As for Ann Coulter, she’s a skinny blonde female Rush Limbaugh who’s laughing all the way to the bank. I hope the undecideds realize that if Robme gets elected he won’t be the “I agree with you, President Obama” they saw last night. In fact I don’t think Robme even knows who he is or what he stands for at this point. He’ll need handlers to tell him what to think and what to do; someone like Karl Rove or Dick Cheney. UGH!

Hi UAWTradesman – just the person! I need some guidance on barn heaters. What I’m looking for is a professional/commercial grade infrared heater rated for indoor/outdoor & wet conditions. I’ve been looking at a lot of the heaters for cow/horse/pig barns but would like some feedback from a person who actually has livestock/barns. Any thoughts? Budget limit is $700.00 unfortunately because I’ll need to purchase two.

I think it is time for some people to just go away–permanently, people like Ann Coulter. Ann Coulter just referred to President Obama as a “retard.” It’s impossible to say how offensive such a remark is on so many levels. When will the media have enough of this woman? Why is she constantly on television, why does anyone care what she says? She has crossed the line so many times. Enough is enough with her. She has forfeited any right she had to be taken seriously.

Hi all, glad I am in time to see greytdog’s latest resurrection! Margaret and Helen, you’ve written some brilliant posts this election season, I have really enjoyed reading them. Is it too much to ask for more? I look forward to what you thought of last night’s debate.

Jean, I agree about separation of church and state. I’ve heard of priests telling their flock to not vote for anyone who approves of abortion for any reason. I thought that churches that used their pulpits to influence an election would lose their tax-free status. Is anyone paying attention to that?
Religion has been used and abused in this election. I’m a Christian and I’m appalled at the slings and arrows that have been aimed at Obama. A Muslim born in Kenya?, that’s pathetic. I have to admit I was embarrassed to admit being a member of the same denomination as G. W. but I wouldn’t have wanted anyone to question his faith. It’s walking the walk not just talking the talk.

I was sorry to hear of my passing. It went totally unnoticed at my house. But then we’ve been pretty busy these past months. But for those of you saddened by my demise, please in lieu of flowers, donate $10 to President Barack Obama’s campaign. And to everyone else: Fix your bayonets, and Please, proceed.

Did anyone see after the debate when Mitt was leaning down to shake hands with people? He looked very stiff, like maybe he has a bad back. I am not criticizing Mitt’s age, but it did show as a stark contrast to Obama squatting down to talk to people – came off as much more engaged and intimate. Obama looks people in the eye, while Mitt looks like he’s always looking at for other people behind the person he’s talking to. What really caught my eye was how Ann was clutching at him. It looked so weird. Was she trying to make sure he didn’t fall? Did she want him to be standing by her side? I really couldn’t figure it out. Did anyone read that better than I could?

Michelle looked tired. I like her better in bright colors! But at least the she and Ann didn’t show up in matching dresses this time. That was pretty funny.

I saw Paul Ryan on TV this morning. He usually looks so healthy and energetic but today he looked AWFUL. I’m not sure if he was sick, or just exhausted. Or defeated! All he had was tired talking points about how Obama said nothing specific. Did he watch the debate with the sound off? Obama was specific and Mitt agreed with him!

About those horses . . . when we first went into Afghantistan there was a very limited use of horses to get to very high mountain locations but that was about it. A close up of the native horses would show you that they are undernourished and just not beefed up enough to carry an adult American male with a 40 pound pack. And bayonets are becoming relics what with the use of drones and rifles that can hit a target at the most amazing distances.

I think folks generally saw what they wanted to see. What I saw matches with what John Kerry said – Romney came off as the Wikipedia candidate. I have to say that he was a far better study than Palin. He’s not stupid! It was odd listening to him lecturing the President on what the administration ought to be doing when it’s exactly what the administration IS doing. And it’s working pretty well so I guess they’re both right and there is no point in changing from the guy who IS doing what the new guy claims (today) he would do.

I have to wonder about all the R’s that voted for Romney in the primaries over the other R candidates. Are they wondering what they’ll get? Or do they have faith that Romney will eventually change back to the candidate they endorsed? “Anyone but Obama” isn’t a strategy, just sayin’.

Romney looked seasick during the whole debate. He obviously didn’t know what he was talking about. He completely changed hos tune on many topics, proving once again he has no core principles. Obama won hands down.

I am sure glad these debates are over! Mitt was kind of a little different as usual, compared to the primaries, less ready to go to war with anybody that crosses us. In that he did not disappoint, flip flopped as usual.

No Terry…
Republicans feel that 13 yr old girls should be playing dodgeball instead of giving “Lewinski’s” at recess….
not all republicans feel that their money is being stolen and greedy but alot believe that people should have some resposibility for their actions….
I realize that some 13 yr olds become active sexually but does that mean that I should condone 95% of 13 yr old becoming sexually active and should I also absolve the parents of any responsibility……HELL NO…..

Sydney you are a very intelligent thinker..I am a practicing Catholic..but I do have my days when I question too..Right now in Minnesota we have a Amendment to our Constitution on the ballot which would prevent Gays from marrying. The Archbishop, is leading the cause by raising money to support this amendment..he has turned into a bully threatening clergy with dire consequences if they speak up against it. We have one brave priest who refuses to keep quiet..What ever happen to separation of church and state??http://minnesotaforequality.com/father-mike-tegeder-speaks-out/

Religion should stay out of politics..I have a neighbor who won’t vote for Obama because she insists he is from Kenya and is a Muslim..I have just quit talking to her until after the election..and my husbands nephew..who usually votes republican says he doesn’t have a candidate because he won support a Mormon who does not believe in heaven, believes they will have their own planet when they die..i have never heard such nonsense from two people I use to think had some common sense.

I was raised a catholic. Church on Sundays and Sunday school after, first holy communion and confirmation. I was exposed to the entire speeel. But even as a child, I had questions that no one could answer and I drifted away.
After I had children and I knew that I would take a bullet for anyone of them, my childhood questions came back. How could god allow his children to suffer? There were churches filled with children, his children, destroyed by tornados with no survivors. And that was gods house! I can’t imagaine a parent alive that wouldn’t enter their burning house to save their children.
Why was there so much suffering in the world? Now, I believe that the bible is a story. Written 300 years after the death of Christ, it’s purpose to control the population and convince people to live good honest lives. I believe that it is a comfort when you lose a loved one, believing that they go on and you will one day see them again. It is a wonderful story, and I really hope that for all those who believe, that it is true.
I don’t believe, but my children and myself live loving lives. We care about others and help those who need it. We have empthathy for people and animals and strangers.
What I took with me from my religious training is that Jesus loves us and wants us to love and help others and if someone lives a life that breaks his rules…that when you pass god will handle it, he doesn’t need help from the living to tell others that they are sinners, it is all under control.
What is happening now in the USA is no different then the fundamentalist Muslims.

Folks, could you please lay off mocking Christians? What would you do if someone came here mocking Muslims or Hindus or Jews? Why is it OK to mock Christians? Christianity is not a religion invented by right wing nutjobs to destroy the universe. ;) Thanks.

Cynthia, I hear you, sister! The amazing thing is that all three faiths you mentioned: Christians, Jews and Muslims worship the same God. Jews, Muslims and Christians all claim Abraham as the “father” of their religion.
We’re one big family, some are natural children, some are adopted, there are in-laws and even some out-laws. As one of my friends said, sometimes even a red-headed bastard shows up at a family reunion. – Terry

“Born again” bothered me briefly until I realized I’ve been a Christian for as long as I can remember. It might apply to some people who have never experienced Jesus in their lives and it’s a real “aha” moment. I can’t subscribe to an exclusive God either having studied the Bible in many different ways including auditing Old Testament Foundation and New Testament Foundation at a local seminary. Taking the Bible literally when it’s been translated from languages that aren’t always comparable to English and cherry picking parts to suit certain radical belief systems is a “no-no” for me as well. I’m sorry that religion has become an issue in this election. We are not a Christian nation as long as so many ignore the teachings of Jesus to take care of the “least of these”. – Terry

Hi, Karen In Ohio – Site of my first, and only, physical birth, so far, I might add. (Bred somewhere in the farmlands, and born in Columbus.)

The whole point is that there’s a really large amount of arrogance implied in thinking that our first “birth” wasn’t somehow sufficient, and that some church dude has to preside over our “re-birth,” or we don’t count.

Bull-doody. I’m already born enough; that works for me, and I’ve been working on honoring that for almost sixty-nine years. That first birth has been gift enough for me.

Hi, Cynthia – IMHO, I think being born the first time is enough to make each and every one of us a child of the Universe. Why would a “second” birth be required, or even desired, by our Creator? Insisting on some second “birth” is an insult to the Creator’s time and intention, don’t you think? Like the Creator didn’t get it right the first time, and so needs US to decide whether we’re “born”or not? I doubt it. Talk about blasphemy and arrogance…

Krikeys; we got here the first time, and that’s miracle enough. And we’d better make good use of our time here. Thats why I love being on the porch.

Sidney – Yes totally agree with you! I know about Nixon’s Southern Strategy. A large voting bloc all ready trained to march in loc step and the anti-abortionists one issue group but passionate in their belief. But what I didn’t realize was that to be a “real” Christian you must be “born again”. I did not know this!!! Since Obama has never declared a reason to be a born again therefore he is not a Christian. Last I knew one was to be baptised, confirmed, attend church etc. in their particular brand of religion. Things just keep changing so fast I can keep up! (However if this is what you believe it is fine.)

Cynthia…..for years the republicans have been promising the religious evangelicals and the moderate religious folk that it was only the republicans that were on their side. If Romney walks into the whithouse he won’t be alone, he will surrounded with the mormons, the evangelicals the warmongers and the billionaires and they will be running the show. These are the people that must be paid in full by a Romney presidency.
The billionaires come first, and to do that, the wingnut repubs have cherry picked the bible to convince their followers that the poor are PUNISHED by Jesus and the wealthy are BLESSED. The believers in the USA are now gods CHOSEN people, and any war we start is a holy blessed war.
We are witnessing mass insanity in the republican supporters and all Americans and their families will pay the price.

My beliefs were formed from my experiences along the way and I don’t expect anyone else to agree with them. One’s religious beliefs are personal and individual. I understand the difference between Christians, Jews and Muslims etc. but never understood why there was such a difference/intolerance of each other among the Christian religions especially recently. God is God..No? Realizing that I am many times the last to get the memo, but found this article very helpful in understanding “the why” of the anti-Christ, Marist, not a Christian, Communist etc remarks made toward Obama. And these freakin emails from an old friend!

Although history has proved this truth, it is still amazing to see how propaganda brainwashes normal people. Every totalitarian regime, every fanatical movement starts with a glittering goal…..dreams of a utopia! The goal is so huge and all embracing that they believe it will solve all the problems of the world, if only they follow “the one true path”. The path that the republicans have set up follows the writings of the old testament, and the beliefs of the very, very wealthy.
To me, I can clearly see who is on the side of good and who is on the side of evil and I am coming to the realization that this line is not dividing us by social classes or even political party, but it runs right through every human heart, through all human hearts. And when the propaganda is just right, it can enter the hearts of good people, hold on tight, and cause good people to make bad decisions.

Gato, Loved your take on the situation. There is indeed much pulling the wool over peoples’ eyes. The shepherds of these sheep should be called what they really are: Anti-shepherds! They will sell their sheep to the highest bidder and the slaughter won’t be a pretty sight. I’d say let them have their way to prove our point except that we’ll be loaded on those trucks to the slaughter house along with them. The other scary thing is that even if they don’t legitimately get the votes they need they have the means to skew the election in their favor. Been there, done that, eh?
In the meantime hearing from people like you keeps me sane, or at least saner than I would be otherwise. – Terry

HI, Terry – I’ve just spent a good part of this past weekend having some long conversations with my very Republican, Texas-dwelling, quasi-Libertarian brother-in-law. (Good practice for me, since this coming weekend, I’ll be visiting some of my husband’s very Republican, New Hampshire-dwelling, quasi-Libertarian college friends!)

Believe it or not, we manage to keep these conversations fairly civil, even through references to something Glenn Beck said, or the position that Obama is “technically, but not really, an American”, that Bill Ayers is one of his closest advisors, that Paul Ryan is “brilliant,” and so on and so on…

My forming conclusion: EVERYBODY is feeling, quite correctly, that they are losing – or are about to lose – control of their lives and futures. Both sides are absolutely convinced that something really horrible is going to happen if The Other wins. And I think we are absolutely right that we are losing control. But those who believe that Romney is going to “make everything better” (and that’s about as specific as the reasoning seems to go) have been, IMHO, deliberately deluded into thinking that “big government”, or “the socialists” are going to ruin everything. And that is ESPECIALLY ironic when you realize that “big government” is more and more owned by huge corporations and banking entities, and is being used to create legislation that will favor their interests, and no one else’s.

So… The very people who are howling about the “dangers of big government” are quietly, at the same time, in the process of working to gain control of that very government, to shape it in ways that will benefit them, and only them. The “enemy” is not the government; it is the owners of government. And it’s going to be very hard to stop that process.

At least President Obama has some consistency and some conscience, and so remains absolutely and positively my choice. The fact that he’s been able to accomplish what he has, in this environment, is absolutely astonishing.

The republican party is made up by a bunch of old white guys with just a touch of fanatical evangelicals and some uneducated ignorant around the edges. They will, in time, die off and the rest will become a smaller minority then they already are. That is why they are so desperate now to buy, steal and lie their way into power this year. They have always hated all social programs and want them ended, and they can’t stand seeing any tax dollar that we pay that doesn’t profit one of their own. This is do or die for the party of greed, and they are pulling out all their tricks. And ladies and gents, something to keep in mind as we rock back and forth on the porch……..they are very……very…….close.

I think the reason so many people are in the Republican camp is that they’re worried about their money and their wives aren’t allowed to think for themselves. Think about the difference in the audiences at the two party’s conventions; one with a token Black and the other as diverse as our great country is. The Republican party is a bunch of angry white guys who’ve taken us pretty much to the cleaners with their corporate greed and “get a job” answer for the poor. We definitely need more women in government but not the ones like Michele Bachmann or Sarah Palin! McCaskill is running a tough campaign against Todd Akin here in MO and there are women flocking to support him! It makes me sick. – Terry

Easier is right.
Harmless .
We used to worry some about ole colorful and the speaking-in-tongues routine but colorful is far sturdier than appears :-)
The flying monkeys? Picture the flying critters in Oz ? Substitute the bad witch with an 8th grader firmly in the grips of delight in crass burp and fart jokes as leader and voila! – you have it/them.

Thanks ‘pi! Cats are the worst, other stuff mostly inconvenient! Tell me about these monkeys?! Never have seen anything quite like this. That colorful person seems a little deranged… Can we just, er, pray that it never comes back? To whoever ya like? Good grief!

Well- the flying monkeys are back! Wouldn’t be election season at M and H’s without a fly through.
Cover your tea- some of em have continence issues.
Thank you Helen and Margaret for having us all in. really. I mean it.
( I think… )

I just didn’t want you to feel alone! And I’m with u on the had it up to here scale! Our local newspaper released their endorsements today, and after complaining vociferously about Romney ENDORSED HIM ANYWAY. We are trying to decide whether they did that so the whole town wouldn’t cancel their subscriptions and decided that it’s a possibility. J Sent from my iPhone

I have been praying for everyone who reads this site but I cannot pray any longer. The evil is to strong. You are all damned to hell fo ryour desires to kill innocnetn babies and to support a man who leads satan’s work here on the earth. You are warned. My protection is no more. Darkness will come over this ite and all you participate here and thkeelkaklasfasfs pary to Jeus for healing lasdkfaslk;jffkj forgive
akjsf

I gotta say, IS THERE NO END TO THE DECEIT, MANIPULATION, AND GARBAGE GOING ON IN THIS SO-CALLED ELECTION?!?! It feels like some gigantic perverted version of Whack A Mole… And the thought of how much worse it could become is a terrifying thought, indeed.

“Through a closely held equity fund called Solamere, Mitt Romney and his wife, son and brother are major investors in an investment firm called H.I.G. Capital. H.I.G. in turn holds a majority share and three out of five board members in Hart Intercivic, a company that owns the notoriously faulty electronic voting machines that will count the ballots in swing state Ohio November 7. Hart machines will also be used elsewhere in the United States.”http://juanitajean.com/http://truth-out.org/news/item/12204-does-the-romney-family-now-own-your-e-vote

IMO as long as this is hyped as a close race it is possible to steal the election without drawing much attention. This is what worries me. There are “those” who have spent millions upon millions to elect Romney and I am sure they will not want to lose the election fair and square.

And what will we do? Rise up and call Bullsh*t? or just say Oh dear me! As we did in 2004.

Maven, Are you sure Ann Robme would even know where her laundry room is? I think she has people who take care of all that menial stuff.
I think what this election has boiled down to is the flap over abortion. Give the “fundies” a cause and they’re off and running even if no one has suggested we should force any of them to have an abortion or marry a person of the same sex, for that matter. Palin may have jinxed it for McCain, who is a decent man, but Ann isn’t saying anything her husband hasn’t said, unsaid, re-said, said again in a different way!
Another issue I should add is that Obama is black, or at least part black and was born in that “whole other country of Hawaii”. If he had swooped into DC wearing a cape and with an ability to immediately have undone everything G.W. did, we wouldn’t be having this dialogue now. Never mind, that Mitch McConnell set the tone for these four years by announcing their goal was to make sure Obama was a one term president. The rest of us be damned! It would be fun to watch them stew in their own juice when everything gets even worse under their watch but we’d go down with them! Oh, and the 1% won’t suffer at all, it can only get better for them. – Terry

I guess Anne Romney is going to be reined in by Mitt’s handlers now. Four years ago the GOP campaign weren’t able to put a lid on Palin since she was, um, PART of the ticket. Shouldn’t be too hard to make Anne disappear back into her laundry room (ironing board and all) and let her husband’s spin keep spinning.
Margaret & Helen: I had to catch up on your posts for the week. You made my day! It’s a pleasure to read you.

What’s interesting about Ann Romney’s unabashed admittance of her husband’s shapeshifting nature is that she, once again, just doesn’t get why saying this is INFURIATING! To say, “My husband morally is pro-life, but understood that his constituents were pro-choice” is completely different than saying, “He is really pro-life, but ran as a pro-choice person.” The former is being honest about how your own moral code realistically has to be put aside in service to politics, but the latter is pretty much saying, “Hey, he just said what he had to say to get in to office.” Her gaffe reminds me of the patronizing story she told at the RNC about how she and Mitt were post-college newlyweds who lived in a cramped apartment and ate pasta every day. I remember thinking, “Is this chick serious???” She actually thinks her story of she and her hudband’s brief stint into sacrifice as they built their adult lives is THE SAME AS REAL, NO OPTIONS, NO FOOD POVERTY that a struggling family of 5 who make up the working poor experience? Get the hell outta here with such out condesencion, lady.

E.A. Blair: must agree with your point. My parents tried for 10 years to get a full term live birth and almost made it with the baby who would have been my big brother but he was born at a time when preemie neonatal units hadn’t even been conceptualized. Since there was no funeral liturgy to cover such situations, he was not buried but donated to medical science as a specimen in fluid in a big glass jar. When I married and started my family the miscarriages outnumbered the two full term children who were born healthy and exceeding the average weight. For the first full term child I was hospitalized for 3 months and put on medication to keep me quiet and resting. This medicine prevented hyperemisis gravidum which just about killed me as it was so violent and hard on my body. I was taken off this medication very slowly to see if I could function without it. If I couldn’t it seems that medical science was not wild about keeping me on it for months and I would have to make a hard decision whether or not to continue with the pregnancy. The withdrawal period was not a smooth go but by six months things could be handled better. The birthing however was mishandled by a doctor who did not believe in C-sections. Daughter was born alive and combative but had a whale of a perpendicular mark all the way down her face. It eventually faded. Never went back to that doctor. The “fundies” of all stripes can just can it on the issue of women’s reproductive rights. Their interest has from the start impressed me as just plain lewd!

Helen and Margaret, I do so enjoy your blog. I cannot believe that women are still fighting this battle. I think the people who have taken over the GOP are nuts. And Romney wouldn’t know the truth if it bit him you-know-where.

Butting in here with my take on the usual political situation going on.

I like words. I just learned a new one recently that is quite obsolete in our country. It is “Quadrigamist”. It means a man married or having four wives. That is opposed to “Polygamist”, meaning a man with multiple wives, concubines, whatever. The word comes from “quadriga”, a chariot drawn by four horses harnessed abreast; from the Latin “quadric” and “jugum”, yoke. (I wish I knew how to “do” italics on the computer to make this look more intelligible.)

This word seems ever so apropos to the Republican attitude toward women these days. I get a mental picture of Romney, et al, up there in the chariot, cracking the whip and trying to keep the American women in their proper places (yokes?) as he races toward the finish line. The trouble is he doesn’t seem to recognize that about 51% of the American population is female. There aren’t a lot of us left to fall in line and do as he dictates, or more probably, what his “handlers” dictate to him.

Not at all! I like all my on line friends, a deeper connection always better! We just had to replace our water heater too-last Friday! It’s always something. Two weeks ago it was my 21 yo chevy truck with 312000 miles on it. Been casting around for a newer one, and one landed in my lap! Won’t bore you w the details, but I built a toolbox for it today. :) my husband got bitten by one of our client’s dogs 2-3 weeks ago. Ugly bruise but she didn’t really savage him thank God! Client nearly turned inside out over it! We had the no hay-no grass thing last year, it was awful, so sorry, wouldnt wish it on UAW even! :D We have cats, not dogs, cause I can’t take a dog w me, so it would be lonely, poor thing. A terrible virus has run through the pride this year and I have buried dear little furry friends and wept bitter tears. You can’t always approach barn cats, so…anyway, now it’s my TMI, but I share your sorrow my friend.

I will take your word for it amigo. I know there is a psalm about dashing the heads of the babes of mine enemies against the rocks (!!) which seems inhuman to me. However, I am not a fundamentalist, and the old testament is meant to be understood in light of the Gospel. I AM a Christian (practicing to be one?) so I am far more interested in the words of Christ and the subsequent activities and letters of his apostles than the older stuff, though it is good to know from whence ye came, so to speak. But that’s not the blueprint, or instructions. A guy who would not break a bruised reed or quench a smoldering wick is one who would give a broken and suffering person a chance, no matter what they had done; especially if they knew the circumstances, which he is meant to understand!
I think right now people are using religion as a bludgeon to frighten others into conforming to some meaningless standard of behavior. It is a shocking abuse, but the world has seen it before and survived. It will no doubt survive this round too, and perhaps even learn-but then will relax it’s vigilance in favor of some other pursuit and our great- or great-great grandchildren will have this conversation – and the wheel goes round…
Have a good evening!

JC – can’t open PDF’s so I check a number of related links I thought addressed your info. Perhaps you should send the link.
Sounds like you are very busy playing in the dirt. Good luck with your gardening. My tomato plants looked like Charlie Brown’s Christmas tree with red balls. Didn’t have enough luck selling to make two trips a day worth while so gave up on it. Got bitten by a neighbor’s dog; 14 stitches in right hand and a number of puncture wounds in the other arm and was advised not to play in dirt for awhile. I had enough tomato sandwiches to last me until next year.

Hot water heater died, speeding ticket, car not running right, no rain/no pasture/no hay. Then I had to put down my 16 y.o. dog, Brooklyn. House is silent and empty even with radio & tv. I have had a dog for the last 51 years. Crappy summer! But now new hot water heater, car is running great, grass is growing, all healed and almost over my pity party.

First of Sept. the weather changed over night. Cool days (50/60), cold nights (40) with a few exceptions. I hear it will be a cold, snowy winter. Fuel oil is $4.05 gal.!!!

There’s plenty of justification in the old testament for killing the unborn – references to ripping babies from their mothers’ wombs and killing infants. If you consider the fact that an overwhelming number of eggs exposed to sperm fail to fertilize, fertilize and fail or miscarry, you have to come to the conclusion that abortion is divine will.

There was a six year gap between the birth of my only (older) sibling and myself, and my mother told me it was not for lack of trying. I wonder how many of those couplings in pursuit of another child were prevented by nature or a capricious deity. By all (Christian fundie) rights, I should have had a whole passel of brothers and sisters.As far as I can see, god is the #1 abortionist.

Hmm, not quite what I get, BUT I dislike Bishop Dolan intensely (head of NCCB) and he is one of those that would like to roll back Vatican II, I think. Good luck on telling me what I think, I’m pretty familiar w the Gospels, and I am pretty sure there is not one single reference to abortion. Not one. Zero. Lots of other things, which must therefore be more important? Explicitly stated? They even quote some of it!

BTW now that UAW isn’t plaguing us, how is your weather? Are you done gardening for the season? I’m setting broccoli and another planting of new potatoes tomorrow. 42 yest am, 68 for morning low tomorrow. Consistency is not our strong point in the lone star, I can tell you. And all my heirloom tomatoes succumbed, so I’m back to VFN varieties! Shalom!

JC – I googled. What I got out of it is – You are free to think as you wish….now we will tell you what you think.

Karen in Ohio – I agree but the IRS will never go after them. The big mega churches are the ones I find most offensive. I believe the “religion” is just a cover for a money making scam. I feel sorry for the people who give what little money they have to them believing it is the right thing to do.

You can tell her she is not the only one! Fortunately, the bishops we have had in Austin have been extremely particular about it being our duty to become informed and to vote, but that it is not part of their duties to tell us for whom we should vote. They seem to understand we have consciences! Many people are easily led by hysteria though, and thus the ad blitz and attendant crap. It is very discouraging. If you want a fun little read, I’ll send you a link on the Forming your Conscience to Vote Guide. It contradicts itself right into a pretzel!

For me, what it boils down to is this: I believe in God (he has 9 billion names, choose one you like, everybody); I believe he gave EVERYONE free will; I believe I should ALLOW other people to exercise their free wills, even as I am allowed to exercise mine, and I can choose to refrain from assisting someone to do something I feel is wrong. I can determine those things on a case by case basis.
For instance: mandating that female hormonal supplements be made available to everyone evens the playing field for all persons who might benefit from such therapy. Some people might use the drugs to suppress pregnancy. I do not have to use the drugs if I feel that doing so violates any tenet to which I cleave, but I do not feel I have the right to prevent others from so doing. Exhibit B: there are people who believe that blood transfusions are a great insult to Jehovah. I do not understand the basis of this, but I think it may go back to blood covenants: the blood is His part, the flesh ours. It would be very wrong of me to cause one of those believers to have a transfusion that so violated their beliefs, but it would be equally wrong of them to try to prevent me to have one for any reason, because I do not share their belief!

JC – My 85 year old very devoted Catholic friend told me the past two Sundays the priest told the parishioners they should not vote for those who would approve of abortion/pro choice. “Get them out of there”, he said. She wanted to get up and walk out but of course she would not small town and all. She is so angry about it she could spit nails. She had no children of her own but was a step-mom to four. She remembers many of the girls she went to school/college with having 8, 10, 12 children and some did not consider it to be such a blessing. And she has out lived them by 15/20 years!

Dear Margaret and Helen: I think your blog is wonderful. It is both informative and humorous, and I enjoy hearing what my elders are thinking. I also love being included in discussions between two smart women who have been friends for so long. Please don’t pay any intention to any hateful people who leave awful comments on your blog site. As Margaret’s grandson has probably already told you, there are a lot of mentally disturbed folks who have no lives, friends, or constructive interests, and just hunker down over their computers all day watching internet porn and slinging garbage at anyone who is trying to do something interesting or good. Thank you both for raising the level of discourse online, and for being funny. I look forward to reading more.

Yes, it is way past time to dismantle the boys clubs. I started by trying to point out the hazards of such to my son, along with those of “angry music” and pornography. Also by teaching my daughter, as my parents taught me, that I should, er, “test everything, and retain what is good” and not let my gender become a liability against me. Good solid lessons, both, and since I don’t know everything yet, I’m still testing :D I went to a male dominated church, a male dominated university and I run a business in a male dominated field, in which I am pretty well accepted. The armed services (Nadal? Tailhook? The Air Force training scandal?) the Catholic church, the Boy Scouts, the Citadel, the Corp of Cadets (was improving, but may be headed back again due to Gov damn Perry’s unhealthy influence), football (I will never recover from JoePa’s very public failure, never) all these institutions exemplify what we are talking about. The one I worry about most is the Church, because they continue to make it a matter of faith that no girls are allowed, and they have such an enormous sphere of influence! Boy Scout parents need to be vigilant! Catholic parents even more so! The Ethics and Integrity in Ministry program the Diocese of Austin helped develop is helping and they are pushing it hard, but we must have the moral courage to call the miscreants out! The nuns are carrying our banner with courage and determination; they are not backing down!
The anti bullying and anti hazing push is a step in the right direction, but we must continue to push and push against these monsters and their self serving agendas! All of them, and their idiotic brainwashed wives too!!

Gato, Exactly, my friend! I feel like I’ve been preaching to the choir about life after birth being so important. I even had the conversation years ago with my own mother who was a devout Baptist and could not sanction abortion for any reason. All I said to her was that I think it’s better for some babies to not have been born. She didn’t have a come back for that. Bless her heart, she’s in Heaven now I think and could be loving and nurturing babies who weren’t loved or wanted.

JC – I’ve known all along that “pro-life” is their way of saying “pro-birth” and it angers me plenty. I’m also listening to the shameful way the Boy Scouts of America have covered up their sexual abuse of young boys. What popped into my mind was the way it plays right along with the Catholic Church’s having done the same thing with their sex scandal. Both organizations are run by MEN, men who think they are infallible. It’s time we women took over and had a bigger say in all things relating to our lives and the lives of our children. Thinking of all the world’s children as “our children” puts a new face on our responsibilities, don’t you think? They’re definitely members of “the least of these” as Jesus taught.
Margaret & Helen, you are definitely giving me new hope for our country’s future. I’m 73 and I still want to be like you when I grow up!

I’m telling you guys this is all just crap! The root of this shocking argument is the envy of a supposedly chaste and celibate clergy who long ago decided that if they can’t have sex nobody should, or at the very least, the eligible will not be allowed to enjoy it. Add to that a strong puritanical streak thinly disguised as virtue, and now what do we have: the Scarlet Letter, 21st century edition! And these wicked lust filled temptresses MUST BE PUNISHED! And pregnancy is to be the vehicle of their public shaming. This is why asses like Joe Walsh and Todd Akin spout their nonsense: THEY DON’T BELIEVE IN RAPE! They believe that we of the female persuasion “ask for it” by our clothing, walk, body parts, hair-EVERYTHING we do is a temptation to men, and we connive at it That’s also why there is a bewildering disconnect between “pro life” issues with legal abortion and “pro life” non-issues with he cutting of the safety net: they prose on about the baby, but the baby only matters as long as it is physical evidence of the mother’s depravity! If you change “pro life” and “anti abortion” to “anti sex” that covers the assault on available contraception too! These are the same people that are prohibitionists, Just Say NO-ers, think dancing and cards should be banned, and hate anything that smacks of fun, good, clean or otherwise. They think that EVERYONE needs to live by their circa 1950 (or 1400 for the clergy!) fairy tale rules, when everything was just hunky dorey and nobody had any problems. “Leave it to Beaver” is a historical documentary to these idiots! As an aside, that’s also why parts of the Catholic hierarchy are busily trying to roll back as much of Vatican II as they can. Apply Occam’s razor and see what you think, and feel free to make additions or corrections to my theory; I like to learn things, and I want to know the truth too.
That’s why I am voting for Mr Obama. Again.

I’m telling you guys this is all just crap! The root of this shocking argument is the envy of a supposedly chaste and celibate clergy who long ago decided that if they can’t have sex nobody should, or at the very least, the eligible will not be allowed to enjoy it. Add to that a strong puritanical streak thinly disguised as virtue, and now what to we have: the Scarlet Letter, 21st century edition! So these wicked lust filled temptresses MUST BE PUNISHED! And pregnancy is to be the vehicle of their public shaming. This is why asses like Joe Walsh and Todd Akin spout their nonsense: THEY DON’T BELIEVE IN RAPE! They believe that we of the female persuasion “ask for it” by our clothing, walk, body parts, hair-EVERYTHING we do is a temptation to men, and we connive at it That’s also why there is a bewildering disconnect between “pro life” issues with legal abortion and “pro life” non-issues with he cutting of the safety net: they prose on about the baby, but the baby only matters as long as it is physical evidence of the mother’s depravity! If you change “pro life” and “anti abortion” to “anti sex” that covers the contraception issue too! These are the same people that are prohibitionists, Just Say NO-ers, think dancing and cards should be banned, and hate anything that smacks of fun, good, clean or otherwise. They think that EVERYONE needs to live by their circa 1950 (or 1400 for he clergy!) fairy tale rules, when everything was just hunky dorey and nobody had any problems. Leave it to Beaver is historical documentary to these idiots! That’s also why parts of the Catholic hierarchy is busily trying to roll back as much of Vatican II as they can. Apply Occam’s razor and see what you think, and feel free to make additions or corrections to my theory; I like to learn things, and I like to know the truth too.
That’s why I am voting for Mr Obama. Again.

Helen, don’t listen to the idiots. You have more knowledge in your little finger than anyone at Faux News. They are allowed to lie because of our corrupt Supreme Court. Seriously, the haters need to go start their own blog and hiss and drool with their own kind.

What a stupid stament Ann Romney made: you can’t have both Pre choice and a good economy. Really?? Now whose drinkin’ the coolaid? Her husband was a failed one term governor of the state of Mass .He has absolutely no experience in government. this is all very positive for the Tea Baggers. They only want a puppet they can control.

Listen Ann, you can’t change your mind every day about the issues. Because once your dumbass husband pushes the red button and creates a nuclear war, he can’t do something different tomorrow…………..

The Romney’s are arrogant, entitled with a capital “E” and combined, their brain power is less than a carrot. Nice manners you taught your son, Ann !!!!! But, that is who the Republicans are now. mean, hate mongering, selfish, war mongers who care nothing for veterans, women, children except for the fetus, Seniors, middle class. Get a clue all you middle class idiots who are foaming at the mouth with love for Romney. He hates your Republican guts !!!!!!

Romney wants to cut federal programs and return them to the states. At present, the “conservative” states receive more in federal spending then they contribute and “liberal” states pay more and receive less. It is called Red State Socialism. It’s called that because it was a deliberate attempt by the Gingrich-led Congress in the mid-90s to engage in socialistic wealth redistribution by region to wean federal monies away from blue states and towards red states as a punishment for voting for Clinton. So if Romney reverses this the states that will be the hardest hit will be red states.

Now I admit to being in a particularly bad mood this morning. If this were to happen and if it were to work the way I understand. I will take great pleasure knowing that all those dumb, uninformed people who voted Republican will finally realize it is not wise to vote against their own best interests.

….”So, to recap, Mitt has promised to cut corporate taxes and taxes on the wealthy – and yet somehow reduce the deficit and debt. He wants the power to forge personal trade deals with the countries he outsourced your jobs to. He wants to repeal wage and benefit protection for workers on government projects and legalize the creation of cheap imported labor for public works. He’s also promised to approve the final two phases of the Keystone XL Pipeline without completed environmental impact studies and without validated emergency response measures (because, hey, how often does this stuff blow up anyway? Right? Hello?), more drilling (despite the fact that the Obama Administration has approved more drilling permits than any previous administration, that’s obviously not enough), repeal of environmental protections deemed “restrictive” (methane and fracking chemicals in your water supply is a small price to pay for increased profits folks. Bitching about it is unpatriotic. Besides, we can always buy water from China), and then cut discretionary funding for agencies that actually oversee the environment, safety, and public health – i.e. the things directly impacted by the other stuff. And to top it off, he’ll make sure that once you are sick and out of work, you can’t get affordable healthcare either (because people who don’t have health insurance don’t die in America. Right?).”…

You Gals did it again!! I want to be as smart as you when I grow up, I’m only 58 :) I LOVE and AGREE with ALL of your letters, comments, blog whatever. I must admit I love you so much that I e-mail ALL your comments to everyone on my mailing list ( even those pesky republicans) hehe, I just love doing it too! I also copy & Paste a lot to my account on Facebook I’m going to make some of those MITTIDIOTS think a bit. I was out volunteering for Obama but here in FL it sure does get hot walking from house to house. Think I have to get my butt back out there I hear Fl is on the line UGHHH. That just makes me sick!!! I lived in MA when Mitt was gov. but had to move when my husband lost his job as an Electrical Engineer. Yea Mitt did just wonders for our state, that’s why most MASS people hate him!! Anyway you keep on Posting and I will keep wearing my Obama buttons and talking to every stranger I can haha!! Have a wonderful Day !!

My family moved to the deep south a few years ago. (you really SHOULD need a passport to be here) These people love the republicans like they love football. It gives a whole new meaning to Lady Ga Ga’s song “Baby, I was born this way”. The facts don’t matter. They wear it on their sleeve along with their Alabama A. Mitt can say nothing wrong, and Obama can say nothing right. People that I always thought were smart, well informed people have suddenly turned into angry, proud Republicans. The lawn signs with Mitt’s smilin’ face are on every lawn. I might put out an Obama sign, just to see how long it would take before it was stolen or burned (along with my car)
Thank goodness for your always and entertaining and informative blog. I enjoy sending it to my 4 Democrat friends that also moved here.

Hi, Easier – Yes; that endorsement blew me away! I don’t know the “leaning” of the Tribune’s editorial board, although they themselves mentioned that they represent a predominantly-Mormon, business-favoring, predominantly-Republican area. Makes me wonder if all of Romney’s flipping and flopping has caused consternation among the Church leaders who have been backing him. When you’re looking at someone supported by the LDS Church AND Sheldon Adelson AND the Kochs, you cannot but suspect that there may be some serious back-room wrangling going on about whose interests are going to be favored… A real conflict among agendas and “electability”…

WOW YOU NEVER LET ME DOWN. Isn’t it a crime to threaten the President of USA? The SS need to pick up Tag and “talk to him” . hehehehe
MY son is in the Army 21 years 4 tours over seas HE IS SERVING HIS COUNTRY. He is not hiding behind a “religious retreat. lol France ? trying to get French men to give up wine? lol Mitt and Arnold must be good buddies.

Cynthia, know where you are coming from. The Repugs have impressed me for at least 30 some years as being a mix of Monarchist/Anarchist which is a very schizoid arrangement. They want to control everything with their laws but at the same time they have no problem breaking said laws and getting away with it. Hey! Doesn’t that sound like France, sometime between Louis XIV and Louis XVI? And look what happened to number 16! Treating the poor and the scant bourgoisie monarchists/anarchists had at the time only led to their absolutely cutting downfall! But I’ve been told that nothing remotely liike a class revolution could happen here!

The Salt Lake City Tribune agrees with Helen and Margaret and most posters here. Thanks Karen in Ohio for the link. There is hope for this planet yet. It is very risky for that newspaper to take the stance it took. I appreciate its managers for doing it. Sometimes, it is just right to call things like they are and they did. It is so commendable of them.

Spot on, Ladies!! Would love your take on two things. (1) Ann Romney’s explanation (on The View) of why Mitt and the boys didn’t serve in the armed forces. Did I misunderstand something? Going on a Mormon mission is NOT the equivalent of serving — so it’s unfathomable that Mitt could send troops to war if his own children would be spared under religious grounds. (2) Not many have commented on another scary element of a Romney win. People may not focus on Ryan being VP, but do they understand he would be groomed to be next in line on the GOP ticket after Romeny’s term? Scary enough having him on a ticket as VP, but as President?? My blood is running cold.

My home computer defaults to MSN. Sometimes, on my way to finding M&H, I stop and peruse an article or two. This evening the site had a headline about which celebrities support which candidate. I started to read the posts at the bottom and for many pages, I did not see one comment in favor of President Obama. Then it hit me. The site is being spammed. Actually, that gave me hope for our side. If Mitt and his minions have to resort to spamming to make it appear that he has a lot of support, then maybe the polls are skewed the same. A lot of the posts sounded canned, all posting at the same time, with the same recurring theme, which is basically the following: Obama is bad for this country, the celebrities endorsing him are idiots, his fund raising is something terrible, he has screwed the country, liberals are worse than Satan. It made me smile when I read over and over again how liberals have blinders on and don’t want to see Obama’s faults. We say the same things about candidate Romney and the right and that made me tickle some!

Hope people show up at the polls on election day and not be scared away by made up opinions about an unavoidable Romney win.

I have to see it to believe it Karen in Ohio. Why does a newspaper in one of our reddest states endorse Obama? Something fishy is going on. I will click on your link later and find out more. Thanks for posting it.

Hey, Karen in Ohio (State of my birth, BTW)… Is this for real? I had to google to see if this was some “Onion” parody. It doesn’t seem to be. I must say I am totally blown away by this… Seems that every place Romney has governed or done something doesn’t think much of him.

I am so shocked that I might have to do some more research. This wasn’t only an endorsement of President Obama, it was a total smack-down of Romney. Krikeys…

The more I hear… the right seems to be under the impression that the POTUS is all knowing and in complete control of all issues/problems in his administration and of all things Washington and beyond. If Romney is elected, I for one will take great comfort knowing that when the fourth stall of the Ladies Room on the 3rd Floor West of the Capital Building is out of toilet paper Romney will be right there with a roll of TP paper. Handing it to the poor woman under the door rather than to leave her to drip dry!

Margaret and Helen, you so made my day! I watched that episode of the View and was left scratching my head afterwards. It was the most uncomfortable thing to watch. Ms. Ann was not running, so some of the answers were her opinion, her own only she wanted the viewer to know. You had to leave credulity at the door for some of the answers she gave. Yes, Mitt did not think about stem cell research during the campaign. No, I do not believe that. What I do believe was that he was already positioning himself for bigger and better things and the conversion to “severely conservative” has begun. The people of Massachussetts were just a stepping stone on his road to Nirvana.

I do not like turncoats who run as a member of one party and convert to another while in office for that reason. Just don’t like it, no matter if they are Republican or Democrat doing so. I feels to me that the constituents vote for one person with a set of ideas and that person turns into another and that kind of amounts to cheating them of their true representative. I can understand ideas evolving, but on some fundamental things, a sharp turnaround like that is suspect.

Hi Margaret and Helen,
I’m not sure who is thinking that your opinions are off- but nothing could be further from the truth!! I hear myself in every line you write, and adore your witty style. It’s refreshingly honest, and completely bang on!! Please don’t ever stop blogging, it’s one of my personal highlights- and I always share with all my feminist, pro-choice, left leaning chicks who also love everything you do!! Keep up the amazing work- You bring me true LOL moments, and remind me to laugh when shit gets crazy:)
Peace and Love
Tracey- in Canada

Could be I misunderstood her, Derlurker. Her comment about it being a complex issue coupled with the term “pro-life” struck me as pandering to the outside elements who want to control our bodies. I am not against abortion. It is a medical procedure that has no place being legislated. I can’t imagine why you would be against it, except as pertaining to yourself. And, of course, I want abortion to be safe for every woman who chooses it.

Iris, if I am interpreting your responses correctly, you seem upset with Christine but I’m not sure why. Maybe you heard her differently than I did? I read Christine’s post to feel the same way that I do. I’m against abortion and can’t imagine choosing one except under the most awful circumstances, but feel that abortion needs to be safe and legal because life is really, really complicated. I am (and I think she is) defending the legal right to choose, which does not contradict your pro-choice position. It’s all good – I think?

Most pro-choice people I know really hate abortion. They just hate it less than victimizing victims and having women die unnecessarily, for example.

Hey, Terry – Too often, “pro-life” really seems to be “pro-birth.” What happens to that life after it arrives seems to be entirely up to the mother, who often gets little or no help at all, especially from those who were so “pro-life” in the first place.

Low cost pre-natal care and advice? Not going to happen – except maybe at Planned Parenthood. But they’re going to shut that down on Day One. Food stamps? She doesn’t deserve them; she’s a slacker. Free or low cost child care so she can work? That’s her problem. Contraception? They don’t want to pay for it, if it offends their religious beliefs. The guy who was instrumental in her pregnancy? Little or no responsibility required from him, either.

HTG, I think every human being who comes into this world should be cared for, loved, cherished, and honored. Birth is just the beginning. It’s what happens afterwards that matters.

It would be nice to have a “pro-life” movement that really gives a damn about the life after it appears, wouldn’t it? I think that’s what we’re saying.

my favorite line?
” Economically, I was duty bound to prevent the outsourcing of American abortions. So I bought Stericycle and — I’m going to tell you before it hits the newspapers — invested heavily in family planning centers. By doing this, I helped bring quality abortions and profits back to the United States” – Romney

Howard thinks women shouldn’t be in politics why? Because Ann Rmoney is and idiot? Or because a large portion of the rest of us refuse to accept lies and having others control our bodies? Then time of people as chattel is gone whether they are slaves or women being denied their rights. I have to laugh at how hard some people struggle to justify Mr Mitty’s total lack of ethics, morals, and common sense. It will suck to be when he AND they get to explain their behavior to the head office when they die

Thanks for clearing that up, Terry. I thought, perhaps, my comment was unclear.

And, to you, Christine – I am tired of people who believe they are the only ones with the correct choice calling themselves “pro-life.” A Frank Luntz-like phrase that oh so well says those of us who believe in true choice are somehow “anti-life.” People who believe they have the right to dictate another woman’s choice about her pregnancy are actually forced birthers.

It said “LEAVE A REPLY TO IRIS” but I was really speaking to Christine, if that makes sense. I was agreeing with you, Iris, but also wanted Christine to know my thoughts on the subject. I’m fortunate to have been able to have children and to never have had a reason to consider an abortion but I don’t believe in forcing anyone’s views on everyone.

To Iris and Christine as well – What about the babies who are born to mothers who are either unable or unwilling to give them the love and nurturing they deserve? I’m pro-choice because of hearing or reading about what can happen to them. That’s even sadder than growing up knowing your father raped your mother.

As a woman unable to have biological children I am pro-life w/ pro-adoption. However I still believe in pro-choice for those situations that are complex. What child wants to live life as a “rape baby?”

Could somebody help me out here and explain how the republican party was able to get so many Americans to swallow their propaganda. Is this nation so full of easily lead ignorant dupes? The stupidity is baffeling. It is like watching Jews cheering on Hitler or chickens voting for the Colornal.It hurts my brain just to think about it.

Helen and Margaret you’re great! Lets hope all enlightened women and men will vote for the interests of their grandmothers, mothers, daughters, sisters and aunts. Equal pay for equal work, contraception coverage by your insurance company, not being denied insurance because of a pre-existing condition, and last but not least CHOICE! The choice could not be clearer. FIRED UP READY TO GO! FOUR MORE YEARS FOR OBAMA/BIDEN!

I’ve been a follower of H&M’s site since its inception and, without doubt, it has become the most insightful analysis of the conservative mindset seen anywhere on the Internet. But one of the downsides is that such funny and discerning commentary attracts a host of malcontents who insist upon tripping over their tongues when replying. The upside of course is the vast number of faithful supporters who follow H&M, especially the group of new ones, including the ladies who have taken on the trolls head on. Keep up the good work ladies.

Helen shows a true mastery of the message and it is always interesting to see how quickly and how forcefully the supporters of her position follow up on her every thought and word. It is also fun to see how she knocks the trolls so far back on their heels that it takes days for them to dredge up their twisted comments from Faux news. And their attacks on individual posters rather than on the arguments of the hosts shows how shallow they really are.

As an age cohort of H&M I also in awe of how perspicacious and intelligent comments come so readily to someone considered to be over the hill by the trolls. You can’t beat experience and H&M has it is abundance.

I couldn’t agree with you two ladies more. I have been amazed at all the words they use when talking to Mittzaster (less than honest, misrepresenting, malarkey) when the obvious word they are looking for is LIAR.

You can bet your sweet bippy, if you or I had said we wanted to smack the president, the BYU graduated, returned missionary secret service agents would be knocking down our door.
I wonder, if the Secret Service had needed to jump on stage at the debate which one they would have tackled. The “Bishop” or the guy they are supposed to protect.

I know the repubs think they can score points with Ann Romney out there. But I find her as offensive as Mitt. Actually, I should relate to her. I was a stay at home mom and invovled with my church (Presbyterian, though).

But I guess because it was a struggle to make our budget work so I could sta at home with our girls, I just don’t think Ann has any idea what it is like for women who aren’t rich. My staying home was a choice my husband and I made – I wanted to be the one who was there when the girls did all those first things and there when they came home from school. I loved being a room mother every year and going on field trips and being a Camp Fire leader for my oldest all the way through high school.

But I fully knew that I was lucky that we could make it on my husband’s salaray – not with anything fancy, just the basics. And I knew that many (most) women didn’t have that choice or whether or not to work.

Choice is about more than a woman’s right to choose what to do with her body. Hearing the repubs lately makes me thing that not only do they not want women to have the right to make choices about their bodies, but they also don’t want women to have real choices about whether they work outside the home or stay home. They’d really like all women to stay home and go back to the days when women took care of the children, cleaned the house and had dinner on the table at 6 pm – and only had the opinions that their husband told them they could have.

I’m not willing to give up any of the choices we have as women. Nor am I willing to give up those rights for our daughters. So there are two big difference between Ann Romney and me – I don’t have that kind of money and I raised girls and really understand why it’s so important for women to have a choice in all aspects of their lives.

Hi, P.K. You might want to google “lying for the Lord”, which seems to have some serious history with the LDS Church. Evidently, a good deal of “theocratic ethics” has long been tolerated. In short, lying isn’t bad if you’re doing it to serve your Church, in some belief systems.

Just discovered you ladies and I am thrilled! This article is such a breath of reasonable and fresh air after all the Romney/Ryan smoke out there. If I heard correctly, Ann also said that if Mitt doesn’t win this time, he will not try again. If only!! Probably lying, though, right? Anyway, I will visit often, as this 54 year old lady has found a pair of new role models! All the best …

You two ladies are the best!! I am so glad I found you and I hope you keep posting for many years to come. Few can punch through the bullshit as well as you two ladies. I have never in my lifetime seen a candidate for office who looks the voters in the eyes and lies so blatantly. He is supposedly an intelligent man and yet he lies about things easily disproven by audio, video and his OWN op-eds. This entire family is smug and entitled and, hopefully, November 7th we will see them all slink back to their mansions with their tails between their legs! When I heard Ann Romney say in an interview that it was time for the Obamas to leave because it was THEIR turn I thought I’d puke!!! I guess no one ever told the entitled little princess that, in America, we don’t get turns to be President. We earn our citizen’s votes by telling them who we are and what we want to do. No one has a clue who Mitt Romney is because he changes positions like a snake sheds it’s skin!

Truth be told, women have power; whether it’s in the voting booth, in a blog
or organizing family life – such as a ride to the polls. :-)
Your voices are strong, informed and intuitive….Howard appears outnumbered-poor dear. Or, as they say in the south, “Bless his heart” .

Good comment, Beth. I thought it was especially sad when Ann tried to equate one of her sons being a doctor to vets to serving in the military. They take doctors in the military. He could have done both. But, no he is working with vets out of the war zones as a civilian.
It is their sense of entitlement which keeps them from serving. The feelin they are better than the peasants.

On that same The View interview, did you Hear Ann Romney sort of equate her sons’ and husband’s missionary missions the same as people who do military service? This happened when Whoopi Goldberg asked her how who would handle talking to loved ones who had lost a person in military service. Mrs. Romney said something to the effect that she understood how it felt to send sons away to do service and her sons went away boys and came back men (I am paraphrasing). When Whoopi followed up to make sure she had heard correctly that Mrs. Romney had equated missionary service with military service, Mrs. Romney back tracked and started praising those who do military service. If it wasn’t so sad it would have been laughable. Since when is missionary service equatable with military service? One is doing good works while proselytizing for your religion, the other is putting your life on the line for your country. She really is out of touch and living in a bubble.

The entire Romney family says the same thing “just trust Mitt”. They are counting on uneducated voters supporting him by using BLIND FAITH. But remember, anyone who wants you to trust with only BLIND FAITH, well…….they want you to be BLIND for a reason.

Margaret and Helen, you’re the bright spot in a sea of whoop-ass campaigning. The comments your readers write are keeping me sane and hopeful. I was wondering who would name a child Tagg and then I realized someone like Robme would! It kind of makes sense since in school he would have always been “IT” when they played “Tag”. I guess the extra g is to make him feel more special.
As for Ann, poor thing, she makes the dumb blonde jokes come alive. At least she’s not showing off her upper arms like our present First Lady does. A Republican woman who had advocated for a First Lady who acts and looks like a real First Lady pinpointed that lack of decorum. Ann would know her place and not try to upstage her husband by taking on real problems our children face like nutrition and fitness. She would probably heel just like that poor dog they took on the vacation from Hell! – Terry

Actually, Mitt is not only a liar, but he has himself accused his own sons of being liars, which kind of slid by in that first debate. Remember when he said this: “Look, I’ve got five boys. I’m used to people saying something that’s not always true, but just keep on repeating it and ultimately hoping I’ll believe it.”

And now Tagg wants to punch President Obama because HE called his dad a liar? Ha. Apparently, he missed his dad saying this, too: “Because if there’s a two parent family, the prospect of living in poverty goes down dramatically. The opportunities that the child will — will be able to achieve increase dramatically. So we can make changes in the way our culture works to help bring people away from violence and give them opportunity, and bring them in the American system.” Maybe Tagg didn’t follow through on his violent feelings, but he seems to have the proclivity, despite having, presumably, two parents raising him.

I love you guys! I heard the snippet of Ann talking on the View, and I missed that she said that, what would we do without you guys pointing this stuff out. But then, I knew already I don’t like her and her husband is a liar.

OMG, Bill! I hadn’t even noticed that contradiction between Romney’s saying that, as President, he would “create” twelve million jobs, even as he’s saying government doesn’t do that. But, fortunately, YOU noticed it.

Thanks for pointing that out. Sometimes it’s hard to keep track of anything in this madhouse of smoke and mirrors that passes as electoral process, much as I keep trying…

I believe you made a typo here, Helen, when you said “Ann has always had a problem separating her whites from her colors.” I don’t believe Ann has EVER had a problem separating her whites from her coloreds.

B-but he said he, “Knows how to get America back to work again.” Please don’t tell me that he’s lying about that too….(sarcasm).

Romney also said he’d create 12 million jobs, but then also said the government doesn’t create jobs. I no longer value anything that comes out of his mouth as the truth. He’s a snakeoil salesman. It’s laughable.

My admittedly limited experience with Mormons (I live in Independence, MO, which has a few) has convinced me that the LDS don’t merely tolerate lieing to, cheating, and stealing from “gentiles” (that’s the rest of us), but that they view that kind of behavior as laudable. If this is true (and of course any ambitious LDS will deny it), Mitt is forging himself a godhead on some other planet (I hope it’s that 1200-degree one they found) every time he tells a lie. He might not be able to buy the Presidency, but he sure can buy and lie his way to becoming a god! What’s not to love about that?

Helen and Margaret are my heroines!! You go girls! Romney has twisted himself in so many directions regarding women’s reproductive rights, he resembles an Orange-Julius soft Pretzel.
Saying that women are more concerned about the economy than their reproductive rights is an attempt by misogynistic Republican men to bifurcate that which is inseparable for middleclass women – reproductive rights and the economy. Simply stated: we women are VERY concerned that we not breed more than we can feed.
Ann Romney is the poster-girl for Republican’s platform for women: marry a rich man and you don’t have to worry about equal pay for equal work.

No, no, no!!! Certainly do NOT keep your opinions to yourself. I love them too much. In a time in which I am almost constantly angry over this election, your columns truly brighten my day. I cannot believe that Romney’s lies and continual disrespect for anyone who disagrees with him is not THE issue upon which the election is turning. How could ANYONE, much less a woman, think he would be what’s best for this country. Please, please keep spouting those opinions as often as possible. They’re chicken soup for my soul.

So much of what comes out of the Romney campaign, particularly from Anne, seems to be ignore what he says (or did) and just trust his good heart. There might be some scenarios where I would overlook someone’s awkward speech in favor of their good heart, but evaluating their suitability for President of the United States isn’t one of them!

So true, I for one don’t like Ann Romney, I find her rude and snobbish. She is so out of touch with real women “who work hard for the money” She thinks campaigning is hard, wonder if she ever stops and thinks even for a moment how hard a life President Obama has had, just think about it…..she doesn’t have a clue how hard life can really be……..

Thank you , Helen and Margaret for another amazing post. That Ann person sure contorted herself through a lot of loops in answering that question. Stem cell research? So far, Tag & wife have had 3 children using a surrogate. I guess, when it’s Willard’s grandbabies, though, it’s ok to make and destroy fertilized embryos. He’s such a hypocrite, oh wait, honesty-challenged.

Romney only goal is to win, then he can be the top dog in the billionaire boys club. He doesn’t care about this country, or it’s people. Why anybody would think that his net worth gives him the right to lead a nation is beyond me.
You can’t run your home as a business and you certainly can’t run a country as a business. The ledgslation that Romney and the republicans would implement would mean life and death for the people who call American home.
A Romney/Ryan presidency intends to dismantle all our social programs, because the republicans always hated them, and I believe that the republican supporters can not grasp the results of how that would effect their lives.
The GOP offer fear, hate and greed wrapped up in the flag while holding the bible. They would be a disaster for all of us.

I think you need to write a column on what a
liberal is Love you ladies but need to know what
is in your head.(besides this election) Just what is your
thoughts and beliefs. I know what others say but I need to know
what you think a liberal is.

God Almighty I just LOVE you two! PLEASE keep telling how the cow ate the cabbage and the emperor has been nekkid for EONS now (well at least 30 yrs, ever since we elected a B grade Hollywood wash-up to redecorate the White house); long may you continue to do so! And don’t forget the cookbook…:)

Ok, so Ann Romney said having A CHOICE to decide between voting for the economy or pro-choice is a beautiful thing about our country. Why do they brag about freedom of choice in everything except my body?!?! I’ll take the guy who has done a much better job with the economy AND believes I’m smart enough to make decisions about my body thank you very much! Obama is a two for one deal!

Drinking the Kool-Aid? Let’s see: Jim Jones persuaded his deluded followers to swallow poison with a promise of Paradide to come. That sounds exaclty like Paul Ryan’s budget to me. The more the Romney family talks, the more I think they are a bunch of arrogant, nasty out-of-touch rich folks used to getting their own way.

Woo Hoo Margaret – you go girl!! And Helen you ARE NOT dumb, the dumb one keep their mouths shut or comment here cause no one else will listen to them! You’re brave for us all!!! Keep talking ladies!!!